The present invention relates to an image processing method, image processing apparatus and image processing program when a radiation image is processed, and in more detail, to an image processing method, image processing apparatus and image processing program by which, according to an adjusting amount of image processing such as an image density or contrast which is added by a user, an image processing condition which is adjusted to the user's desire can be automatically set.
Recently, an apparatus by which the radiation image can be directly photographed as a digital image, is developed. For example, as an apparatus by which a radiation amount irradiated on a subject is detected, and the radiation image formed corresponding to the detection amount is obtained as an electric signal, a method by using a detector using a stimulative fluorescent substance is numerously disclosed in such as Tokkaisho 55-12429, and Tokkaisho 63-189853.
In such an apparatus, the radiation transmitted the subject once is irradiated on a detector in which the stimulative fluorescent substance is coated on a sheet-like substrate, or which is fixedly adhered by the evaporation, and the radiation is absorbed in the stimulative fluorescent substance.
After that, when this stimulative fluorescent substance is excited by light or thermal energy, the radiation energy accumulated in this stimulative fluorescent substance by the absorption, is irradiated as the fluorescence, and this fluorescence is photo-electrically converted and the image signal is obtained.
On the one hand, the electric charges corresponding to the intensity of the irradiated radiation are generated in a photo-conductive layer, the generated electric charges are accumulated in a plurality of capacitors arranged 2-dimensionally, and a radiation image detecting apparatus which is obtained by taking out those accumulated electric charges, is proposed.
In such a radiation image detecting apparatus, a detector called flat panel detector (FPD) is used. As this kind of FPD, as written in Tokkaihei 9-90048, a detector realized by a combination of the fluorescent substance which emits the fluorescence corresponding to the intensity of the irradiated radiation, and photoelectric conversion elements such as a photodiode or CCD by which the fluorescence emitted from the fluorescent substance is received directly or through a reduction optical system, and photo-electrically converted, is well known. Further, as written in Tokkaihei 6-342098, a detector by which the irradiated radiation is directly converted into electric charges, is also well known.
In these radiation image detecting apparatus, it is general that the image processing such as the gradation conversion processing or edge emphasis processing is conducted on an obtained image so that it becomes an image adequate for the diagnosis.
On the one hand, for these image processing, it is troublesome that each of them is manually conducted after obtaining the image. Particularly, in a hospital in which the number of photographing is many, when the image processing is manually set after obtaining the image in this manner, the burden of the radiation engineer is too large.
Accordingly, in these apparatus, it is structured such that, corresponding to a photographing position such as the head, chest, or abdomen, or a photographing direction, the image processing condition which is considered as optimum is previously set, and the condition is specified when the image is obtained, and the image processing is automatically conducted.
It is written in following Patent Document 1 to Patent Document 10, that the image processing is automatically conducted in this manner.
Further, in a system in which a plurality of image processing apparatuses are connected through a network, Patent Document 11 listed below discloses a system in which an operability is improved and there is no need to revise by each image processing apparatus by revising an image processing condition administrated in common with a means for administrating in common an image processing condition such that even if an optional image processing apparatus conducts image processing, the same result are obtained with the case that the other image processing apparatus conducts the same image processing for the same image.
On the other hand, an optimum image processing condition is different in each facility due to the preference of a doctor to conduct a diagnosis with use of the image obtained actually by the apparatus. Therefore, when these apparatuses are installed in each facility, it is necessary to adjust an image processing condition along a desire of a doctor.
Since it is necessary to conduct manually the adjustment for such an image processing condition for each body part to be radiographed and each radiographing orientation, a work which is complicated and takes time is required. Then, means for conducting adjustment of the image processing condition are disclosed in Patent Documents 12 and 13.
(Patent Document 1)
Tokkai 2000-83938 (the first page, FIG. 1)
(Patent Document 2)
Tokkai 2000-23952 (the first page, FIG. 1)
(Patent Document 3)
Tokkaisho 63-262141 (the first page, FIG. 1)
(Patent Document 4)
Tokkaihei 4-341246 (the first page, FIG. 1)
(Patent Document 5)
Tokkaihei 8-62751 (the first page, FIG. 1)
(Patent Document 6)
Tokkai 2001-29335 (the first page, FIG. 1)
(Patent Document 7)
Tokkaihei 7-178076 (the first page, FIG. 1)
(Patent Document 8)
Tokkaihei 8-62751 (the first page, FIG. 1)
(Patent Document 9)
Tokkai 2002-183726 (the first page, FIG. 1)
(Patent Document 10)
Tokkai 2002-183727 (the first page, FIG. 1)
(Patent Document 11)
Tokkai 2002-279395 (the first page, FIG. 1)
(Patent Document 12)
Tokkaihei 11-88678 (the first page, FIG. 1)
(Patent Document 13)
Tokkai 2000-175035 (the first page, FIG. 1)
(The First Subject)
On the other hand, corresponding to a taste of a doctor who conducts the diagnostic by using the image obtained by these apparatus, the optimum image processing condition is different for each facility. Therefore, when these apparatus are introduced into each facility, it is necessary that the image processing condition is adjusted by meeting wishes of doctors.
Conventionally, it is necessary that the adjustment of such an image processing condition is manually conducted for each photographing position and for each photographing direction, and the operation which is troublesome and requires many times, is necessary. Therefore, an apparatus which can automatically conduct such a customized operation is required.
(Second Subject)
Further, when such a customizing work is conducted automatically, if the customizing work is always continued, an automatic parameter change is continued, there is a fear that a stable operation is not expected.
(Third Subject)
Further, in a system in which a plurality of image processing systems are connected through a network, when an image processing condition is adjusted automatically, if the adjustment is conducted independently by each apparatus, the processing result for an image of the same radiographed body part with the same radiographing attitude is varied by each image processing apparatus. This situation is not desirable, because a stable diagnosis image can not be provided. Then, it is desired to conduct adjustment of an image processing condition so as to obtain the same image processing condition in all image processing apparatuses.
Further, when plural radiography specialists use these image processing apparatuses, it may be possible for a radiography specialist having a sufficient experience to conduct image adjustment so as to provide image proper for diagnosis stably. However, in the case of a radiography specialist having an insufficient experience, it may be considered that the result of the image adjustment is not stable. In this case, it is desirable that the image processing condition is adjusted by using only the adjustment result of a specified user.